Justice Isa’s wife moves SC against minister’s tweet

Sarina accuses Fawad Chaudhry of disrespecting Justice Isa in recent social media post

ISLAMABAD:

Sarina Isa, wife of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, has filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court, requesting the court to take punitive action against Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry for allegedly disrespecting a sitting judge of the apex court.

On March 19, Fawad took to micro-blogging site Twitter to apparently comment on Justice Isa, who is presenting arguments before a ten-judge bench against its June 19, 2020 order.

The minister said: "[I have been] listening to the speeches of an under-trial judge of the SC since the past week. If [I] answer [them], then the lectures about being saddened to being insulted will begin."

"Respected [sir], if you are fond of politics like your godfather [former chief justice] Iftikhar Chaudhry, then [you may just] resign and run for the councilor. You will find out both about [your] popularity and acceptance."

ایک ہفتے سے سپریم کورٹ کے ایک انڈر ٹرائیل جج کی تقریریں سن رہے ہیں اگر جواب دیا تو دکھ ہوا سے توہین ہوگئ کے بھاشن آجائیں گے محترم اگر اپ کو بھی اپنے گاڈ فادر افتخار چوہدری کی طرح سیاست کاشوق ہے تو مستعفیٰ ہو کر کونسلر کا الیکشن لڑ لیں مقبولیت اور قبولیت دونوں کا اندازہ ہو جائیگا

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 19, 2021

 

In her petition filed on Monday, Sarina stated that Fawad's tweet "confirmed that secret cameras have been installed in the courtroom because he was hearing all that happened in [there], despite never having once attended a single hearing".

She added that by referring to Justice Isa as an under-trial judge, the federal minister had "committed contempt of this court and of a sitting judge of this court".

Read more: Supreme Court restrains Justice Isa from hearing PM’s cases

Sarina also took exception to the use of the term ‘godfather’ in the tweet, saying the word is used for criminal syndicates and mafia bosses and is thus, "highly offensive to the dignity and respect of this honourable court [which] constitutes gross contempt".

"Ch Fawad Hussain has violated his ministerial oath of office, the Constitution of Pakistan, mocked and ridiculed this honourable court's former chief justice, a sitting judge of the Supreme Court and committed contempt of this honourable court," the petition stated.

"If judges of the highest court of Pakistan are humiliated, disrespected and abused in this manner by a federal minister, then the Twitter brigade at their command and the combatants of the 5th generation warfare do much worse," it added.

Sarina said the minister had "encouraged a barrage of attacks against Justice Isa" and he and others in the government wanted Justice Isa "not to hold his government accountable".

The Twitter posts, she said, "present an intolerant and autocratic government and the image of a powerless Supreme Court, which has serious repercussions and undermines the independence and credibility of this honourable court".

Sarina implored the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Fawad, take punitive measures against him, remove him from his office, and to instruct him to disable his Twitter account.